WAUSAU — Central Wisconsin will host the Special Olympics Wisconsin winter games in two weeks but it will need 200 volunteers to make it happen.

“We do usually have a lot of support from the community in Wausau,” said Christina Harris, director of communications for Special Olympic Wisconsin. She said she can think of a million reasons to sign up.

“There are so many benefits to volunteering, just seeing the joy on the athletes’ faces,” Harris said. “I don’t think it’s possible to leave a Special Olympics event without being inspired.”

The first winter games held by Special Olympics Wisconsin date back to 1989. The games include snow shoe racing and cross country skiing at Nine Mile County Forest Recreation Area as well as alpine skiing and snow boarding at Rib Mountain State Park’s Granite Peak.

Volunteers will monitor trails, escort athletes to different stages of events and record scores.

“The more people we have to get people in the right direction, the better off we are,” said Regional Athletic Director Jerry Lyon.

Shifts are about four and a half hours beginning at 11:30 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 24 and 9 a.m. Sunday, Jan. 25.

Preliminary rounds will take place Saturday with final rounds on Sunday, Lyon said. About 200 athletes are signed up and will travel from around the state.

“It’s a really big deal for theses athletes to get to the state level … and travel and compete on new terrain,” Harris said.

There will also be a free Family Health Forum before the games at 7 p.m. Friday, Jan. 23 to educate attendees about wellness of people with intellectual disabilities, including cold-weather safety tips.

Volunteers need not have previous knowledge of winter sports, Lyon said, but they should dress for the weather.

“It is out in the elements,” he said, adding that there’s a heated tent and lunch for when volunteers need to warm up. There’s a brief orientation at the beginning of the volunteer shift.

Online volunteer registration can be found at SpecialOlympicsWisconsin.org/Winter/. Interested volunteers can also contact Angela Lillethun at (608) 442-5679 or alillethun@specialolympicswisconsin.org.

Nora G. Hertel can be reached at 715-845-0665. Find her on Twitter as @nghertel.